The Making of Brand Modi

Modern politics, both domestic and international, is a brand building exercise.

Narendra Modi has created one of the most powerful political brands in India’s history. But that centralization of power creates its own weaknesses.

Decisive election results in 2017 raised hopes that Nepal would finally see a government finish its term. That looks like a distant dream today.

All sides can agree that the relationship is at a historic low. But the causes – and possible solutions – are far more contentious. 

In Thailand, Myanmar, and Hong Hong, Asia’s brave youth go toe-to-toe with history.

“One result of this natural cyclicality in North Korea’s policy toward China is that it causes quality of life to rise and fall markedly in the country’s border communities.”

Once the dominant factor in bilateral relations, trade and economics is now relegated to the backburner of China-U.S. ties.

France, Germany, and the U.K. are all signalling more concrete actions in the disputed waters.

Tracing the political stances and stakes of four upcoming referendums.

The fate of Hong Kong’s most popular fund will be a critical bellwether for the city’s ability to keep its status as a global financial hub.

The fiery stance from China’s diplomats signals they are willing to return perceived disrespect with more disrespect.

The coronavirus reshaped the opportunities for South Korea to grow its soft power.

The meeting was immensely reassuring for Tokyo, but there is still much work to be done to modernize the alliance.

10 years later, Japanese media have not shaken off the constraints that prevented meaningful investigative reporting after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

If the U.S. can seek cooperation without pushing South Korea directly into the U.S.-China crossfire, why not take that path? 

Tokyo has long been criticized for restrictive immigration policy. Can it change?

The Indian defense establishment needs to start taking climate change seriously. 

Probably not. And Pakistani leaders need to figure out how to handle the TLP after refusing to do so. 

A variety of legal and social hurdles stand in the way of land ownership by Sri Lankan women.

In each of Afghanistan’s past conflicts, intellectuals have been targets of intolerance and violence. Even as peace appears on the horizon, the risks intensify. 

Dams may seem to be a perfect solution to Pakistan’s water woes, but they carry steep costs – literally and figuratively.

Now a new decree mandates that local governments and school principals revoke any mandatory jilbab regulations. 

The Philippine president and his daughter, the mayor of Davao, are playing coy ahead of next year’s elections. Nobody expects them to go away.

Thailand’s protests have not yet caused a mass exodus of foreign investors. But continuing political unrest could drive multinational corporations away.

The reemergence of the Quad grouping is bound to raise questions about ASEAN’s relevance and centrality.

The country’s political crisis is well on the way to becoming a crisis for the region as a whole.

The Tajik-born Russian singer, whose songs confront both gender and ethnic stereotypes, will represent Russia at Eurovision. 

Repression via technical glitch – that’s new.

Local polls scheduled for April 11 will offer clues about the country’s future political trajectory.

A majority of girls in Uzbekistan have experienced some form of street harassment, from catcalls to physical assault.

Can “vaccine diplomacy” change any minds in Central Asia when it comes to the Russia vs. China equation?

The Myanmar military has detained three Australians, complicating Canberra’s ability to punish the coup leaders.

A group of Sikh men were attacked in a Sydney suburb by other Indian Australians. Police believe the attack is linked to the Sikh-led farmers’ protests in India.

The threat by Micronesian leaders to withdraw their countries from the PIF is a compelling reason to rethink the place of regionalism in the domestic affairs of member states and territories.

Vaccine rollout in the Pacific has been anything but uniform.

Taiwan needs the United States, but the U.S. needs Taiwan as well, especially on the economic front.

A coherent Asia strategy will be key to Biden’s pledge to rebuild U.S. global influence.

Climate change is deeply intertwined with the technology competition that now bedevils U.S.-China relations.

How much should the United States risk on behalf of Taiwan? And just how urgently does China actually want to resolve the cross-strait dispute?

There are good reasons for governments to anticipate the use of drones in future attacks by regional militant groups.

China is changing the cyber game in East-Asia – and increasing the potential for conflict across the Indo-Pacific.

With their agreement, the partners are signaling an alternative to a U.S.-led order in space.

Domestic travelers may salvage the Indian tourism sector after a difficult year. 

Kakao Entertainment and the streaming service were unable to reach a licensing extension — just as Spotify entered the Korean market.

China’s Civil Code required firms to set up sexual harassment prevention and response policies. But on the ground, the impacts remain limited.